All You Ever Talk about Is Money

Is it true that people don't like it when preachers talk about money? My preacher husband always gets nervous when he has to talk about tithing. He is worried that he will make visitors uncomfortable. I asked him if anyone has ever actually complained, and he couldn't think of anything specific. We decided it is just the enemy's way of keeping preachers intimidated so they won't let people in on one of God's most powerful tools in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Paul was very direct in his instructions about giving in 2 Corinthians Chapters 8 and 9.  In these chapters, Paul encourages the Macedonian churches to finish what they started. He tells them he has been bragging on their generosity and that their story of giving has challenged other churches to follow their example. As I read this passage, I have to confess that my faith in the area of giving is pretty pathetic. I grew up tithing, and I can remember being happy as a little girl to be able to give my dime to Jesus in Sunday school. My parents also taught me to give God the first 10% of my paycheck when I worked on their farm; so I don't struggle with giving my tithe. I have seen the faithfulness of God to pour out His blessings when we bring in the whole tithe mentioned in Malachi 3.  I even give my tithe cheerfully.

The area I struggle with is giving more. My budget is tight, and I am pretty stingy. I am a penny-pincher, and it is difficult for me not to count the cost when it comes to making a donation to anything beyond my tithe. So, this blog post is my true confession, and I would be greatly encouraged to hear stories from my readers of when God prompted you to be a generous giver. I commit to be more open to praying often that God will lead me to give beyond my human ability. I want my generosity to inspire others. Paul used a long list of descriptors to paint a picture of the selfless nature of the Macedonians. Will you join me in praying that God will stir up in you and me the following qualities of a generous giver? We have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

• They gave in the midst of severe trial
• Overflowing joy
• Welled up in rich generosity
• Gave as much as they were able, even beyond their ability
• Pleaded for the privilege of sharing
• Exceeded expectations
• Gave themselves first to the Lord and then to others
• Excel in everything
• faith
• speech
• knowledge
• complete earnestness
• love
• grace of giving
• Sincere love
• Followed the example of Christ
• First in line to give
• Eager willingness to help
• Example to others
• Enthusiasm stirs others to action
• Sows generously, reaps generously
• Cheerful giver
• God will supply and increase and enlarge your righteousness
• Results in thanksgiving to God
• Supplying needs
• Overflowing of thanks to God
• Others will praise God for your obedience
• Surpassing grace God gives you

2 Corinthians 9:11New International Version (NIV)

  You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

Do You Really Believe in Heaven?

My husband and I lived in Fort Worth when we were first married, and we attended Southcliff Baptist Church. We have wonderful memories of the amazing people we met during our five years there. One of our older members was a gifted author and speaker. When he taught about our sinful body, he called it our earth suit. Listening to his teaching made me ready to exchange my earth suit for my heavenly garments. Remember, the Apostle Paul’s vocation was tentmaker, and in 2 Corinthians 5, Paul calls our body our earthly tent. He paints the picture of how we groan and are burdened and long to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling. When we get weary of waiting for our heavenly dwelling, we need to remember that the Holy Spirit is our deposit, our guarantee that God will keep his promise to take us to heaven someday.

Our goal is to please God, whether we are here in our earth suits or whether we at home in heaven with Christ. Because Christ died for us, we live for him, not for ourselves. The Bible assures us that we will each stand before the throne of God and be judged for our deeds, whether good or bad. Paul ends this chapter with the explanation that it is our job to invite everyone to restore their relationship to God; it is the ministry of reconciliation he talks about.

Do you truly believe that Jesus has reserved your place in heaven? Is He really building your mansion in the sky? Do you think about it every day, and are you making certain you have everything in order for Him to call you home? Your actions demonstrate what you actually believe. If you really believe in the promise of heaven, you will also take more seriously the ministry of reconciliation. If you really believe in heaven, you will do everything you can to make sure the people you encounter know they are invited to join you there.

 

That’s Crazy Talk! (This Post is for Spiritual Eyes Only)

Disclaimer: This post cannot possibly cover four chapters of 2 Corinthians, which is on our chronological reading list. Paul packs too much wisdom into each chapter. I can only manage one at a time.

So let's take a look at the 4th chapter of 2 Corinthians. Verse 1 begins with the word “Therefore….” My pastor husband always reminds us to find out what the therefore is there for. In this case, 2 Cor. 4:1 is referring to 2 Cor 3:6. “We have this ministry of the new covenant.” The new covenant of Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament covenant of Moses, which required blood sacrifice. Only because of God’s mercy can we have a relationship with Jesus, because he was our blood sacrifice.  Talk about hope! We do not need to lose heart. Paul is reminding the believers that he has preached the truth plainly, and the reason some cannot understand it is because the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers. Paul preached that Jesus Christ is Lord, and it was God who made the light of truth shine in their hearts to give them knowledge and understanding of his glory.

Can you even grasp how profound this is? Some of us have been Christians for so long that we have forgotten our days of unbelief. We don’t remember how lost we felt without the truth of Christ in our hearts and minds. We are so far removed from our days of spiritual blindness that we get frustrated with anyone who is still blinded by unbelief. Because we know that truth is within reach for our lost friends, we don’t understand why it is so hard for them to take the leap of faith.

Step back for a moment and consider how crazy our Christian faith looks to anyone not yet saved. We believe that God spoke creation into being, that our God, who has no beginning and no end, formed the universe out of nothing. How crazy is that? We believe that Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, was born of a virgin. Um, crazy right? We believe that Jesus was more than just human, that he was God in the flesh, and that he walked on this earth for 33 years without ever succumbing to the sinful nature. Are we crazy to believe that was even possible? How can the death of one man on a cross 2000 years ago cover all the sins of man, past, present, and future? How about crazy to the nth degree?

No wonder our society asks us how a loving God could let evil run rampant in our world. No one can fathom the plan God designed from before the foundation of the world. It is such a paradox. How can Paul talk about pressure, confusion, despair, and persecution, and still say we do not lose heart? How can both death and life be at work within us simultaneously?  How can our earthly troubles achieve eternal glory? This is crazy talk!

What we see is temporary. Only what we can see with spiritual eyes is eternal. Instead of arguing with your lost friends and family members, take a moment to see life from their perspective. Notice how it feels to have spiritual blindness. Remember how petrified you were to trust Jesus with your eternity. Stop asking lost people to act like saved people. Instead, beg God to give your friends and family spiritual insight into His glory. No amount of convincing from you will persuade them to see what you can see if they are not yet saved.

If you have a lost friend or family member, you need a team of people praying with you. Email me if I can join you in praying for the healing of spiritual blindness for the ones you love. Do not lose heart!